IL1APHN: English for Pharmacy

Module code: IL1APHN

Module provider: International Study and Language Institute

Credits: 0

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Ms Gill Kendon, email: g.b.kendon@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module focuses on the academic language and literacy skills needed to perform more effectively on MPharm Pharmacy programmes. It is primarily designed for international students, including students new to studying in the UK and students whose first language is not English. It aims to support the transition to the UK HE context and academic culture. The module utilises discipline-specific texts and role-plays to develop a range of speaking and writing skills needed for successful completion of assessed assignments.

The module is non-credit-bearing and designed to support students’ disciplinary study, the expectation being that students will apply the skills they have learnt on IL1APHN in their credit-bearing work. Therefore, for the module itself, there is no assessment.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Apply knowledge of written and spoken genres in Pharmacy (e.g. reflective logs and consultation practice) to interpret assignment tasks and employ appropriate organisational patterns in their completion. 
2. Demonstrate an understanding of audience, text-type and purpose by choosing appropriate organisational patterns and language register in written and spoken texts. 
3. Employ task-appropriate language (grammar and lexis) in written and spoken texts. 
4. Employ appropriate oracy skills and language to deal with a range of Pharmacy professional communicative tasks. 

Module content

Classes will focus on:

• Recognising and responding to the key written assignment genres in Pharmacy, e.g. reflective logs, essays, information leaflets, including:
  • Expected structural and argumentation patterns.
  • Appropriate language choice.
• Grammar for academic communication, including verb tense and form and sentence structure.
• Building discipline-specific vocabulary for Pharmacy.
• Speaking and oracy skills and strategies for dealing with a range of Pharmacy communicative purposes, including:
  • Organising and signposting spoken language communication/texts.
  • Pronunciation, including sentence stress and intonation.
  • Interactional skills, e.g. questioning, asking for clarification.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module takes a discipline-specific, genre-based approach to language and literacy development using example student texts and published Pharmacy sources in classroom tasks. 

Teaching and learning is facilitated in a generally task-based approach, through a combination of reflective and productive activities, guided analysis of texts and peer and tutor feedback. The guided analysis of texts involves 'noticing' of key organisational and linguistic features in context and exercises to practise the use of relevant language. 

Interactive tasks are regularly included and are appropriately scaffolded to build students’ confidence in participating in verbal interaction. The in-person delivery of the module will be supported by digital tools in the classroom where appropriate (e.g. short interactive learning tasks and/or quizzes). 

Study hours

At least 8 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

There is no assessment on this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

There is no assessment on this module.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Sessions will take a task-based approach, enabling students to receive feedback from the instructor and from other students during class discussions. 

Reassessment

Additional costs